Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome

Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome

Information about the Lateran Basilica in Rome
Readings for Thursday

Today I am giving you a treat. A brother Deacon, Deacon Lazaro J. Ulloa, has a web site and did an excellent job of researching and reflecting upon the scripture and celebration we have today. So instead of my own reflection, today I give you the work of Deacon Laz.

Reading I
Ez 47:1-2, 8-9, 12

The angel brought me
back to the entrance of the temple,
and I saw water flowing out
from beneath the threshold of the temple toward the east,
for the façade of the temple was toward the east;
the water flowed down from the southern side of the temple,
south of the altar.
He led me outside by the north gate,
and around to the outer gate facing the east,
where I saw water trickling from the southern side.
He said to me,
"This water flows into the eastern district down upon the Arabah,
and empties into the sea, the salt waters, which it makes fresh.
Wherever the river flows,
every sort of living creature that can multiply shall live,
and there shall be abundant fish,
for wherever this water comes the sea shall be made fresh.
Along both banks of the river, fruit trees of every kind shall grow;
their leaves shall not fade, nor their fruit fail.
Every month they shall bear fresh fruit,
for they shall be watered by the flow from the sanctuary.
Their fruit shall serve for food, and their leaves for medicine."

Responsorial Psalm
Ps 46:2-3, 5-6, 8-9

R (5) The waters of the river gladden the city of God, the holy dwelling of the Most High!

God is our refuge and our strength,
an ever-present help in distress.
Therefore, we fear not, though the earth be shaken
and mountains plunge into the depths of the sea.
R The waters of the river gladden the city of God, the holy dwelling of the Most High!

There is a stream whose runlets gladden the city of God,
the holy dwelling of the Most High.
God is in its midst; it shall not be disturbed;
God will help it at the break of dawn.
R The waters of the river gladden the city of God, the holy dwelling of the Most High!

The Lord of hosts is with us;
our stronghold is the God of Jacob.
Come! behold the deeds of the Lord,
the astounding things he has wrought on earth.
R The waters of the river gladden the city of God, the holy dwelling of the Most High!

Reading II
1 Cor 3:9c-11, 16-17

Brothers and sisters:
You are God's building.
According to the grace of God given to me,
like a wise master builder I laid a foundation,
and another is building upon it.
But each one must be careful how he builds upon it,
for no one can lay a foundation other than the one that is there,
namely, Jesus Christ.

Do you not know that you are the temple of God,
and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?
If anyone destroys God's temple,
God will destroy that person;
for the temple of God, which you are, is holy.

Gospel
Jn 2:13-22

Since the Passover of the Jews was near,
Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
He found in the temple area those who sold oxen, sheep, and doves,
as well as the money-changers seated there.
He made a whip out of cords
and drove them all out of the temple area, with the sheep and oxen,
and spilled the coins of the money-changers
and overturned their tables,
and to those who sold doves he said,
"Take these out of here,
and stop making my Father's house a marketplace."
His disciples recalled the words of Scripture,
Zeal for your house will consume me.
At this the Jews answered and said to him,
"What sign can you show us for doing this?"
Jesus answered and said to them,
"Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up."
The Jews said,
"This temple has been under construction for forty-six years,
and you will raise it up in three days?"
But he was speaking about the temple of his Body.
Therefore, when he was raised from the dead,
his disciples remembered that he had said this,
and they came to believe the Scripture
and the word Jesus had spoken.

Commentary

In today’s First Reading, the prophet describes a river of fresh water that flows from the Temple. The river flows from the east side of the temple through the Kidron Valley and into the Dead Sea. This flowing river will bring life to the Dead Sea and it will be a place where fish abound and tress will grow. This unrealistic vision is a testament to the life-giving power of God who lives in the Temple. The vision also brings to mind the rivers that watered the Garden of Eden in Gen 2:10-14. The prophet brings hope in the renewed life that God will bring his people.

In the Second Reading, Paul admonishes the community at Corinth for working against the plan of God. They pin one minister against the other, and Paul believes that this sabotages the work he and the others have done. Jesus Christ must be the one foundation upon which everything else is built, including the Temple which here actually means the collective identity of Christians. God lives in this “temple” (Christian community or Church) which is not built by human hands. In the OT, God is reluctant to allow his people to build a temple because this could lead to the belief that God is more present in one place than in another. For Paul, destroying God’s temple is synonymous with destroying the unity of the community. The more the people forget that God lives among them in their community, the greater their desire to build a temple.

According to Scripture, Solomon on a site selected and purchased by David built the Temple at Jerusalem. This place, a rocky eminence north of Ophel, has been continuously occupied ever since. Today the Mosque of Omar and the so-called Dome of the Rock occupy this site. This first Temple, also known as Solomon’s Temple, took approximately 70 years to build and suffered all the vicissitudes of the nation of Israel itself, eventually being reduced to rubble. The second Temple’s construction began after the Jews returned from their exile in Babylon in 538 BC but proceeded at a snails pace. This Temple was also subject to pilferage. In 20BC, Herod the Great began the complete rebuilding of the Temple. This reconstruction continued until shortly before the Jewish revolt ca. 62AD. Eventually this second Temple was also destroyed when the Roman Army in 70AD under the command of Titus sacked Jerusalem. This was a crushing disaster for Israel. Today what remains of this once great structure is known as the Wailing Wall. (see Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews 15.11.1 §380) The physical purification of the Temple found in today’s Gospel Reading might remind us of the type of symbolic deeds performed by the prophets of the OT. Jesus’ actions, although not a miracle, is still a sign that the soon to be destroyed Temple was in need of purification and that its function would be replaced by Jesus himself.

In contrast to the Synoptic Gospels, in today's reading from the Gospel of John, Jesus travels to Jerusalem for Passover at the beginning of his ministry. These multiple visits to Jerusalem found in John’s Gospel are probably more correct historically. However, the actual event of the Temple purification probably took place toward the end of Jesus’ life as found in the Synoptics and probably served as the final straw which lead to his condemnation and eventual crucifixion by the Jews. For John, the antagonism by the “Jews” echo’s the later antagonism between Jews and Christians. John also drives home his point by using a literary style that progresses from ambiguity to misunderstanding and finally to comprehension.

Reflection

With today’s liturgy we celebrate the anniversary of the dedication of the Basilica of Saint John Lateran, which was built by the emperor Constantine. It is a tradition that has been celebrated since the twelfth century in honor of this “mother” of all churches, and as a sign of devotion and unity with the Chair of Peter. It was originally known as the Church of the Savior and throughout history, it suffered from neglect, natural disasters, and the ravages of war. It served as the center of the Church’s government until Pope Innocent III (1160-1216) transferred the Church’s seat of authority to the Vatican (historically the site of Nero’s circus). Today, the Lateran Basilica continues to be the cathedral of the bishop of Rome (the Pope).

Every culture has always felt the need to set aside a particular space for sacred use. Stonehenge, the Great Pyramids of Egypt, and the stepped Pyramids of Mexico are witness to man’s unending desire to have a place where the human and the divine can come together. For the people of Israel, the Temple at Jerusalem was not just a symbol of this divine union but it was regarded as a true resting place for God. When the Roman army destroyed it, Israel was forced into the practice of worshiping God who dwells in the human heart. The early Christians, although also affected by the destruction of the Jerusalem Temple, understood that each person is a temple where we can encounter God. As St. Paul so brilliantly put it: “Do you not know that you are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?” So why then do we continue to build churches, cathedrals, or other sacred spaces?

All spaces, whether it is our home, our place of employment, or the place we go to worship shapes us either for good or ill. If our home is run-down, dirty, and disorganized our lives tend to be the same. If our workspace is cramped, uncomfortable, poorly lit, etc., we will eventually develop animosity towards our job and employer. Sir Winston Churchill put it best when he said: “We shape our buildings and afterward they shape us.” The relationship between people and sacred space is so close that one depends on the other. By virtue of our Baptism, we share in the life of Jesus Christ and because of this, wherever the people of God gather that place becomes sacred. Our Churches only have meaning and purpose when we gather in them to celebrate God’s Word, Holy Communion and the other sacraments, and when missionary activity comes from it. Christ is present in the living Word and in the people assembled there; he’s present in the sacraments and in the art that decorates the place. Christ is also waiting to be taken from this place to those who have yet to meet him. In other words, when our church buildings become a place where we can find Christ and a place from which we can bring Christ to others, then it becomes a sacred space. Sacred space is space that gives honor to God’s creation, and that is used respectfully; a place that is well designed and pleasing to look at; a place where those who gather are authentic and not trying to be something they’re not, because sacred space allows us to experience God’s presence. Does our sacred space, our parish, cathedrals, and basilicas allow people to experience God’s presence? Can people encounter Jesus Christ there? Do we as a people of God help to make the place we gather sacred?

Biblical Sources

New American Bible; Brown, R. K., and Comfort, P. W. (trans.) and Douglas, J. D., (ed.) “The New Greek-English Interlinear New Testament”; United States Conference of Catholic Bishops; Cody, A., “Ezekiel”; Craigie, P., “Ezekiel”; Zurro, E. and Schökel, L., “Ezequiel”; Murphy-O’Connor, J., “St. Paul’s Corinth: Text and Archaeology”; Theissen, G., “The Social Setting of Pauline Christianity: Essays on Corinth”; Barret, C. K., “The Gospel According to John”; Brown, R. E., “The Community of the Beloved Disciple”; Schnackenburg, R., “The Gospel According to St. John”; Segovia, F. F., “Love Relationships in the Johannine Tradition”; “The Collegeville Bible Commentary”; Brown, Raymond E., S.S., “Introduction to the New Testament”; Brown, Fitzmyer, and Murphy (ed.) “The New Jerome Biblical Commentary”.

Reflection by

Deacon Lazaro J. Ulloa